The whistleblower who raised the alarm about environmental damage and contamination at the failed Linc Energy underground coal gasification (UCG) project in southern Queensland says toxic chemicals will continue to spread from the site.

• A former Linc Energy engineer says contamination will continue to spread from its failed underground coal gasification site
• Landholders call for greater transparency after it was revealed the government has known about the contamination spread since early 2021

Queensland's Department of Environment and Science (DES) has rejected reports that landholder water bores near the site at Hopeland, about 300 kilometres west of Brisbane, have been contaminated by chemicals such as cyanide and benzene.

It said since 2021, four samples had been taken from groundwater monitoring bores installed about 650 metres west of the boundary of the former Linc Energy site.

The department acknowledged the samples showed the presence of underground coal gasification contaminants benzene and cyanide, but said nearby landholder's water bores had not been affected.

"The analysis of the four samples indicates that the concentration of contaminants is trending down, and the likelihood of environmental harm arising is considered very low to negligible," a DES spokesperson said.

However, the ABC has seen leaked department documents that show some groundwater monitoring bores recorded benzene and cyanide levels up to 25 and 11 times respectively above safe drinking...

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